A once-in-a-millennium genius?
The disciples practicing in the training grounds all turned their gazes over, discussing in low voices: “Could that be Xiao Zuiji from the Xiao Family of Liyang City?”
“The super genius who tested for supreme-grade spiritual roots at age ten and opened all twelve meridians at age twelve?”
“But that’s just past glory. Five years ago, his spiritual roots and cultivation regressed, and he eventually became an ordinary person. Even his fiancée came to the family to break off the engagement.”
“The Xiao Family drove him out, and there’s been no news since. Who would have thought he’d sink to becoming a beggar.”
The disciples all shook their heads in regret.
Back then, Xiao Zuiji had been a prominent figure in Qingyang Commandery—even the later Li Qingyang struggled to match him.
But now?
The former super genius had become worthless, reduced to this appearance. It was truly lamentable.
Walking step by step toward the gate, Xiao Zuiji heard everyone’s discussions and said despondently: “I’m nothing but worthless now. How could I possibly recover everything I’ve lost?”
Li Qingyang wanted to say more.
“Qingyang.”
Jun Changxiao walked out and leaned against the spot where Lu Qianqian had just been standing. “He doesn’t even think highly of himself. Keeping him at the Tiegu Zhengzheng Sect would be useless. No need to comfort him anymore.”
Li Qingyang fell silent.
Xiao Zuiji continued walking forward, his back a picture of dejection and despondency.
“Step.”
He paused on the stone steps without turning around. “Sect Leader Jun, thank you for the treatment. This great kindness, Xiao Zuiji will remember in his heart.”
Jun Changxiao said indifferently: “If this seat had known the person he saved didn’t even think highly of himself, he would never have saved him. He might have even efficiently delivered another blow to let him die quickly.”
Li Qingyang: “…”
Lu Qianqian picked at the dark hair draped over her shoulder. “The Sect Leader’s words are quite hurtful too.”
Xiao Zuiji said expressionlessly: “Yes, I shouldn’t be alive.”
Jun Changxiao pointed outside and said indifferently: “Turn left out the door and there’s a cliff. If you want to die, you can jump off. Maybe you’ll gain a fortuitous encounter and reach the peak of life from then on.”
“…”
Everyone’s mouths twitched.
When did the Sect Leader become as sharp-tongued as the Eldest Senior Sister?
Xiao Zuiji gave a bitter smile. “From the moment I fell from genius to worthless, I was destined never to have any fortuitous encounters or opportunities again.”
“Fortuitous encounters are for those who are prepared.”
“For someone who’s given up on himself like you, even if pies fell from the sky, they wouldn’t hit you on the head.”
Jun Changxiao said indifferently: “Before you leave, this seat will give you one phrase: In this world, there are no naturally powerful people, only naturally determined people. Whether genius or worthless, without a determined heart, one is truly just worthless.”
No naturally powerful, only naturally determined?
Xiao Zuiji’s body trembled slightly, and his despondent eyes gradually began to shine.
Jun Changxiao crossed his arms and said indifferently: “If you’ve already forgotten your original aspiration for coming to the Tiegu Zhengzheng Sect, then hurry up and get lost.”
Xiao Zuiji still stood in place and didn’t get lost.
Earlier, during the recruitment by the hundred sects, he had witnessed Jun Changxiao giving martial guidance to warriors from various sects in the training ground, and his despondent will had been sparked.
After struggling for some time, he decided to go to the Tiegu Sect, hoping to become his disciple and re-cultivate the martial way.
For this, he didn’t hesitate to go to Huyang City to steal the Ai Family’s medicinal pills.
What kind of medicinal pills?
Pills that temporarily boosted cultivation.
Xiao Zuiji knew that joining the Tiegu Sect had conditional restrictions. With his low-grade aptitude and no cultivation, he would definitely be refused.
Stealing the pills ended in failure. He fled in panic to this place, but was still caught up to by people from the Ai Family and inevitably suffered a severe beating.
Why all this?
All for his original aspiration to become stronger!
Jun Changxiao said: “Having your fiancée break off the engagement—can you endure that?”
Xiao Zuiji clenched his fists tightly, biting his lip.
Jun Changxiao said: “Don’t you want to become strong again to tell that short-sighted woman, to tell the whole world: thirty years on the eastern shore, thirty years on the western shore—don’t bully the poor youth?”
“Don’t bully the poor youth…”
Xiao Zuiji’s expression became dazed. His heart felt as if it had been pierced by a sharp blade, shattering his disheartened coldness. His tightly clenched fists gradually loosened, and scarlet blood dripped from his fingers onto the stone slabs.
“That’s all I’ll say.”
“If you’re going to get lost, hurry up and get lost.”
Jun Changxiao said indifferently.
“Thud!”
Xiao Zuiji suddenly turned around, his knees heavily hitting the ground. His face covered with tears, he cried out loudly: “Sect Leader Jun, I want to join the Tiegu Zhengzheng Sect! I want to become stronger! I want to recover everything I’ve lost!”
In that moment, all the pain he had endured, his heart’s desire to become stronger, was released through his crying.
Li Qingyang and Lu Qianqian, and even all the disciples present, watched Xiao Zuiji. No one mocked him for being a seven-foot tall man crying in pain.
“Ding!”
“Congratulations to the host for completing a side mission. Obtained 5 Sect Contribution points.”
“Ding!”
“Sect Contribution points: 34/100.”
“Whew!”
Jun Changxiao breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself: “Finally got this guy to recover his confidence.”
As it turned out, when Xiao Zuiji had walked out of the Medicine Pavilion, the system had issued a side mission with the content: Make the fallen genius Xiao Zuiji regain his confidence in the martial way.
“Qingyang.”
Jun Changxiao snapped his fingers. “Handle the admission procedures. Remember, have him clean up the bloodstains in the outer courtyard.”
“Yes!”
Li Qingyang hurried over.
Regarding the words the Sect Leader had just said, he was thoroughly impressed.
Jun Changxiao looked toward the training ground disciples and said in a deep voice: “All of you engrave this in your hearts. In this world, there’s no distinction between genius and worthless, and no naturally powerful—only naturally determined!”
“Yes!”
All the disciples shouted in unison.
Especially recalling the Sect Leader’s earlier words about thirty years on the eastern shore, thirty years on the western shore, don’t bully the poor youth, the blood in their bodies seemed to burn.
…
“Glug, glug.”
In the great hall, Jun Changxiao held a teapot and drank from it, then reclined against the chair back. “Getting an extremely despondent guy to recover his confidence in the martial way—I really fucking admire my own eloquence.”
The system said at an inopportune time: “The sect disciples’ aptitudes are generally not high. Now taking in another worthless person will only drag down the sect’s development.”
Jun Changxiao rested his chin on the back of his hand and smiled: “Don’t you think that cultivating them, cultivating them into strong people, is something very fulfilling?”
The system didn’t respond.
Jun Changxiao had established martial confidence for Xiao Zuiji because of the side mission.
As for accepting him into the sect, it stemmed more from sympathy. After all, a former genius reduced to worthless, engagement broken off and expelled from his family—it was truly too pitiful.
“Sect Leader.”
Li Qingyang walked over and handed over an admission form. “Junior Brother Xiao’s admission form has been filled out.”
Jun Changxiao glanced at it casually and took out the Sect Leader’s great seal to stamp it.
“Ding!”
“Sect members: 100/100.”
“No contribution point reward?”
“Members previously reached the upper limit value. When supplemented after death or expulsion, contribution points will not be awarded a second time.”
“Fine.”
Jun Changxiao shook his head.
“Ding!”
“The system has detected that members are full and all disciples are at the sect, meeting requirements. Sect missions activated.”
Hearing the notification sound, Jun Changxiao nearly spat blood.
No wonder sect missions had always shown as temporarily unavailable—it turned out to be because sect members weren’t full and weren’t all at the sect!
“Swish!”
He hurriedly opened the Strongest Sect System’s data panel and saw that the sect missions displayed content reading: There are sect missions, click to view details.
Jun Changxiao’s mind moved and he clicked on details. Immediately, a small data panel appeared with many missions listed.
The content read:
Help Qingyang Village’s Auntie Wang sweep her courtyard [Recommendation Index: ★]
Help Qingyang Village’s Granny Sun carry manure to water vegetables [Recommendation Index: ★]
Help Qingyang Village residents write letters [Recommendation Index: ★]
Help Qingyang Village’s Little Egg find his lost Little Yellow [Recommendation Index: ★★]
Help Qingyang Village residents eliminate the Earth Flame Wolf that’s harming the neighbors [Recommendation Index: ★★★]
…
There were many more missions below, roughly forty to fifty in total. Jun Changxiao only looked at the first few lines before collapsing in his chair, mouth twitching: “What kind of bullshit sect missions are these!”